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The article reports on readers' advisory services which suggest books based on tattoos of library users. it mentions several libraries who have started such programs, the use of the tattoos and the stories behind them to suggest books, and the libraries' plans to continue their programs.

The article discusses the author's views about how American libraries can lead the effort to combat fake news as of 2017, and it mentions media literacy in the U.S., as well as the ways that librarians can assist library patrons in accessing accurate information. According to a 2016 research report, a majority of adults in the U.S. receive their news in real time from online social media websites and services. Journalists in America are also assessed.

The article offers news briefs concerning the American Libraries Association (ALA). The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded ALA a grant to support the organization's efforts to ensure free public access to the Internet in all of U.S. public libraries. A fundraising campaign for the 2007 ALA PPO Cultural Communities Fund is underway.

The article offers news briefs related to American libraries as of March 2006. Flooding at Yale University's Sterling Memorial Library in New Haven, Connecticut, damaged some 3,000 books and a valuable collection of Cambodian newspapers that document the nation's genocide during the 1970s. Ongoing patron-behavior woes during after-school hours have prompted officials of the Wickliffe Public Library in Ohio to ban visits between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. from youngsters under 14 unless accompanied by an adult or enrolled in a library program.

The article focuses on a study on the growth of computer and Internet services in public libraries in the U.S. and how such services are financed. It notes that 90% of libraries provide formal training or information technology assistance to effectively utilize computers and online resources. According to the study, Internet services available in public libraries have increased. Also mentioned is an increase in the number of libraries which report that offering services for job seekers is important to the role of the public library.

The article talks about the worth of libraries. Every library employee should know three crucial things about the library's host system: its missions, its structure and its history. It states that policies establishing unfiltered access to Internet resources for children brought into question the common notion of public libraries being good for children. While all library users should receive the same open, friendly, excellent service, some need to be kept fully satisfied all the time.

Features stories regarded as the real measures of the success of librarians. Role of the Vancouver Public Library in fulfilling the dying request of a patron's friend; Efforts of a librarian to help Patricia Cook receive her first reading achievement certificate; Importance for librarians to draw the connections between the statistics they report and the lives of their community members. INSETS: Geting the Word Out;The Power of a Few Visits.

Focuses on the Virtual Village Communication Center of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, North Carolina. Description of the renovated technical-services space, which has workstations using high-speed T1 Internet connections and general office-productivity software; Background on the computer lab and how it was designed to give the entire community access to computer technology, information, instruction, and services; Author's views on usage of the computer stations and assistive technologies for the disabled.

The article discusses therapy dogs, emotional support dogs, service dogs and their presence in libraries. Emphasis is given to topics such as requirements for identifying service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act, sensitivity to the fears and allergies of library patrons, and the use of dogs ion library programs.

The author reflects on the findings of the report "Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits From Internet Access at U.S. Libraries" from the University of Washington regarding the use and importance of internet access in public libraries. Internet use for employment applications, education, and researching health issues is examined and the risks of reduced access to technology and information caused by library budget cuts are explored.

The article focuses on the "2007 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study," which provides the most complete national picture of computer and Internet access in U.S. public libraries, conducted by John Carlo Bertot and Charles McClure of Florida State University. The study found that on average, there are 10.7 public access computers in each library branch. For the first time, the study asked if the wireless and wired Internet connections shared the same bandwidth, and nearly half of respondents answered yes.

The article reports on the improvements needed by the District of Columbia Public Library. Some of the library improvement suggestions include expanding and reorganizing staff, rebuilding most neighborhood branches, adding cafeterias and bookstores to some branches and offering wireless Internet access at every facility.

Presents the results of "Public Libraries and the Internet 2004: Survey Results and Findings," a report issued in June 2005 by the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University in Tallahassee. Challenge facing U.S. libraries in providing enough workstations to meet Internet demand; Selected goals of the study; Key issues identified from the research; Implications of the data for many issues that affect public libraries and the roles they play, or can play, in the networked society.

Reports on the crisis being faced by public libraries in Great Britain that could make them unused and irrelevant by 2020 according to a report released by business analyst Tim Coates entitled "Who's in Charge?" Percentage decline in library usage in the past 10 years; Rise of the national cost of public library service; Reaction of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals to the report.

Presents updates on information technology and libraries in the United States as of December 2003. Explanation that the adoption by public libraries in the U.S. of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology poses no problem for the privacy of library users; Information on library systems that are good for the use of public libraries; Web support to bibliographic identifiers.

Explains that the increasing number of seniors visiting public libraries in the United States poses a number of challenges to librarians. Reason for the increase in the number seniors in the country; Sociological and psychological conditions of seniors which librarians must take into account in their interaction with them; Suggestions on how should librarians deal with senior patrons. INSET: Health Challenges for Seniors.

Reports on a library program in Houston, Texas which will give library card-holding residents free access to email, word processing, spreadsheet software and document storage space. Positive reaction to the program; Technological facilities at the libraries; Cost effectiveness of the program.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "The Price of Patronage," by Jennifer Dewey in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue.

Reports that Anchorage (Alaska) Municipal Libraries Director Moe McGee asked city administrator to lift filters from the library's computers. Why the filters were installed on all municipal Internet connections, according to city administration; Comments of Alaska Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Jennifer Rudinger about the constitutional problems with using the censoring software.

Reports a 1996 decision to pay former Municipal Librarian, Keith Revelle, back pay, interest, and court costs nearly eight years after he was dismissed from his position in Anchorage, Alaska; The agreed upon amount by the Anchorage Municipal Assembly; Details of Revelle's being fired by Mayor Tom Fink in 1988.

Discusses how restraints on children's library access have created controversy in Illinois and Massachusetts. Proposal by the Oak Lawn, Illinois, Public Library Board to restrict the access of children ages 13 and under from adult library material; Decision to rescind the proposal; Protest in Andover, Massachusetts by youngsters demanding freedom to use the entire library, not just the children's room.

The article focuses on news delivery in a public library in Herning, Denmark, which opened in August 2009. Tomas Hemmer-Hansen, manager of the library, said that their main focus is news from around the world and each day, they hunt for information that they believe would be needed by their users. The library is equipped with wall mounted television that shows news broadcast from around the world, which limit its sound to a small area so not to disturb other users. A wireless Internet connection and six notebook computers are also found in the library.

The author reflects on the relationship of gaming and literacy. He says that he fully supported gaming due to its link to literacy, which one of his advocacy message for 2009 as American Libraries Association president. He adds that gaming is not only designed for teens as evidenced by the initiative of the Old Bridge, New Jersey Public Library when they used it to introduce computer literacy to adult users. He cites that the reason he is a strong proponent of gaming is because he wanted kids to be literate and use the public library for whatever reason.

The article focuses on a 2008-2009 study by the American Library Association (ALA) about funding and technology access in public libraries. Results of the study indicated that over 71% of libraries claim that they stand as the sole source of free access to computers and the Internet in their respective communities. Job-seeking services were regarded by the libraries as one of the most crucial online services offered. About 38% of libraries experienced budget increases at or above the inflation rate.

A photograph of the Crutcher family, who are greeted with balloons for checking out the 10-millionth item from the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio is presented.

This section offers news briefs related to public libraries. A Hungarian man in Pamplona, Spain was arrested in connection with the theft of 67 rare maps and cartographic materials from several libraries in northern Spain. A new National Technical Library officially opened in Prague, Czech Republic. The government of Poland signed an agreement with telecom company Telekomunikacja Polska to provide all public libraries with free high-speed connections to the Internet for three years.

The article reports that the Fayetteville (Arkansas) Public Library has reached the one million mark in terms of number of book checkouts at the library. The library issued its millionth item of 2008 to patron and major donor Jim Blair on December 26, 2008. By early December, staff realized the library would top one million checkouts and began closely monitoring numbers. Blair, who provided the largest private donation for Fayetteville's Blair Library has borrowed "Faubus: The Life and Times of an American Prodigal," by Roy Reed.

The article reports that the Williamsburg (Ohio) Regional Library has screened the January 20, 2009 inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama in its theater space. Patrons of the library like Michelle Green enjoyed the historic moment with her friend Cynthia McGrath. They were among thousands of people who flocked to public and academic libraries across the country to witness the event among community members.

The article reveals that the American Library Association (ALA) has asked the U.S. Congress on October 14, 2008 for $100 million in stimulus funding to help libraries aid the nation's working families during the current economic crisis. America's free public libraries provide a lifeline for citizens in need across the country said ALA President Jim Rettig. Rettig pointed to a recent ALA study showing that 73% of all libraries nationwide provide the only free Internet access in their communities.

The article discusses new services offered by the University of Washington, Seattle Public Library, and King County Library System. Apart from visiting these libraries in person, users can now access them through the libraries' websites. The author says each of these libraries gives great service and represents high levels of professionalism and innovation.

The article presents statistics on libraries including the cost per hour that residents of Winnipeg, Manitoba, must pay for wireless internet access at the city's public libraries, the number of episodes of the cable show "What's New in Libraries?" and the total votes Lily the Librarian Ladybug received in winning the election to become the name of the first mascot of the Pierce County Library System in Washington.

The article reports that photojournalist Todd Mizener recently took 156 black-and-white images of library patrons holding their favorite books to celebrate the opening of Moline, Illinois Public Library's new facility. The results were put on display at the library and are viewable online at qconline.com/multimedia/MyFavoriteBook/.

The article reports on the increase in the number of visits to public libraries in the U.S. between 1994 and 2004, according to data released by the American Library Association (ALA). Data from the 2007 State of America's Libraries report states that there were nearly two billion visits to U.S. libraries in fiscal year 2004. The report adds that virtually every U.S. library provides free public computer access to the Internet.

This article discusses the use of podcasting by U.S. libraries to reach their patrons. Some libraries are starting to use podcasting to empower teenage patrons. Other libraries are also working to engage teenagers in creative web-based endeavors. Denver Public Library in Colorado sponsored a contest where teenagers would create videos on YouTube about how they had fun at the library.

The author looks at the changes in how libraries are being used by patrons since the 1960s. Prior to the 1960s, the author asserts that the public library was an institution devoted to reading, research and study in an atmosphere of peace and quiet. However, in the modern decade, more patrons came to the library to access the Internet, work on computers and pick up DVD than to check out books, as observed by the author.

The article reports on the decision of the Worcester Public Library board of directors to permit homeless patrons to check out as many books as patrons with permanent addresses. The decision followed a class action lawsuit filed by the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts and the American Civil Liberties Union accusing that the library's borrowing policies were unfair.

This article presents data and information related to library in the Iowa. 156,000 is the total number of visitors to Des Moines Public Library's new downtown facility between April 8 and June 28, 2006. 194,163 is the population of Des Moines, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 population estimate. 78 is the percentage of library users who say that their local libraries use money well--Long Overdue: A Fresh Look at Public Attitudes about Libraries in the 21st Century, a research study published by Public Agenda in June.

The article presents the author's personal experience during the last day of evacuation at the Robert E. Smith Regional Branch of New Orleans Public Library in New Orleans, Louisiana. During the evacuation, hurricane emergency and safety pamphlets were distributed to library patrons. The responses of library staff were at first non-compliant with the evacuation procedure. After the hurricane, damages to libraries were evaluated through online source.

This article offers information on the central Bronx branch of the New York Public Library. The $50-million, five-story is three times the size of the Fordham Library Center that had served the borough for 82 years. Designed by Dattner Architects, the branch offers 127 desktop computers for public use and houses 200,000 books, periodicals, and multimedia items for the community's ethnically diverse users.

The article reports on the reaction of the Dallas Homeless Neighborhood Association to the patron behavior policy implemented by the Dallas Public Library in Texas. James Waghorne, president of the neighborhood association, opposes the rule. Leslie Burger, president-elect of the American Library Association, supports the policy of the Dallas Public Library.

Reports on the full-color books representing Dewey subject areas that were added to the bookshelves of the Public Library of Oakland, California in 2005. Amount of the state grant received by the library; Library patrons who will benefit from the pictograms.

Reports on the revelation by the city officials in Scottsdale, Arizona, that the Scottsdale Public Library shared patron records with a federal grand jury on three occasions in the spring of 2004. Reason for the compliance of the library to share patron records; Incident which led to the public knowledge of the subpoenas; Reaction by American Library Association President Michael Gorman to the issue.

Presents a narrative of the author's experience with two of the poorest patrons using the author's library's financial resources section. Impact of the proposed privatization of Social Security on public libraries in the U.S.; Questions commonly asked by patrons using the financial resources section; Interest shown by library patrons in financial matters; Shock at the discovery of the true financial wealth of these two particular patrons.

Reports on the contract approved by Illinois' Naperville Public Library board on May 18, 2005 with a local technology firm to install biometric scanners on its public Internet computers. Information on how the U.S. Biometrics AccessQ fingerprint-identification technology works; Findings of the Naperville police on how library patrons use of their library cards.

Presents news related to library and censorship in the U.S. as of June 2006. Passage of a resolution asking public libraries to confine homosexually-themed books and other age-inappropriate material to areas exclusively for adult access and distribution in Oklahoma; Resolution of the Hillsborough County Commission in Florida to modify the DVD acquisition policy of Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System; Decision of the Public library of Enid and Garfield County, Oklahoma to ban library patrons from using chat rooms.

Reports on the decision of the Ohio House of Representatives on December 15, 2004 not to concur with the Senate version of a harmful-to-minors bill that would prohibit public libraries from using state funds to purchase computers or Internet access unless all their public terminals have filtering software installed. Other provision included in the bill; Purpose of the House Bill 132 passed by the Senate; Implication of the House's failure to concur with the amended bill.

Comments on the importance of patron privacy in libraries in the U.S. Move of the Whatcom County Library in Washington to resist the efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to secure records of everyone who had checked out a book about Osama Bin Laden; Extent of protecting the privacy of people who use libraries in the country; Assertion on the need for libraries to protect the freedom of the country at all costs.

Reports on the reaction of the Bloomfield, New Jersey Public Library (BPL) patrons to the public library Internet fee policy. Content of a letter sent by Judith F. Krug, executive director of the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom, to the BPL trustees; Charges made by John E. Rose, president of the union representing library staff, against library officials causing the implementation of library fee; Impact of the fee policy on library service.